Hawaii-Pacific Islands Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Renewed

The Hawaii-Pacific Islands Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (HPI-CESU), a coalition of seven governmental agencies, and nine non-governmental organizations and universities, has been approved for renewal for another five years, the National Park Service announced this week. UH Manoa is the host member.

The HPI-CESU is one of 18 CESUs spanning the U.S. These units are named to signify their broad role as providers of research, technical assistance, and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies and their partners.

CESUs seek to match federal funders with university and other partner researchers to provide expertise in cooperative projects. CESU researchers use the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences to address natural and cultural resource issues. The cooperative nature of the program encourages interdisciplinary problem solving at multiple scales within an ecosystem context.

During the first five years, the HPI-CESU received a total of $30.3 million through 126 projects, with UH Manoa receiving $18.4 million and UH Hilo receiving $500,000. Projects include storm vulnerability assessments, research and management of invasive species including the coqui frog, protection of endangered species such as the hawksbill turtle, native land snails and native Hawaiian plants, coral reef research and protection, sustainable sheep grazing strategies, a natural history guide for American Samoa, mapping invasive plants on Midway Atoll, and landscape and archeological studies of Kalaupapa.